Muscle fiber types distribution (%)
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
perimeter (µm) of muscle fiber
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
surface area (µm2) of muscle fiber
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
satellite cell account
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
Creatine Kinase (CK) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
Phosphofructokinase (PFK) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
Citrate Synthetase (CS) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
HAD (µmol/min/g dry muscle) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
COx (arbitrary unit, a.u.) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
isoforms (%) of muscle
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
Number of capillaries per mm2 (capillary density) and in contact with a muscle fiber
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
surface area of microvessels (µm2)
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
diameter of microvessels (µm)
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
capillary tortuosity (quotient)
Patients will be subjected to a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle (≈ 200 mg).
expired volume (VE)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
oxygen consumption (VO2)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
carbon dioxide production (VCO2) (L/min)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
respiratory quotient (QR)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
Heart Rate (HR) (min-1)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
lactate level (mmol/l) at the end of submaximal incremental exercise
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
Pulmonary volumes (L)
The volumes are measured by plethysmography
Performance to the six minute walk test (m)
Index of muscular blood flow and tissular oxygenation at rest (%)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
Index of exercise using Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) (%)
Patients will perform a submaximal incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise will start at 20 W and 30 W for females and males, respectively. After 2 minutes at this load, and every 2 minutes thereafter, work rate will increase by 10 W and 15 W for females and males, respectively. Total exercise duration is expected to be within 8 to 14 minutes.
Maximal voluntary contraction (N)
Maximal Voluntary Contraction (MVC) will be measured 3 times 1 min apart to determine an initial MVC. After 10 min of rest following the MVC trials, neuromuscular fatigability will be assess by repetition of series of 10 submaximal contractions (of 4 s separated by 5 s) followed by a MVC trial until a decrease of 25% of the initial MVC is observed. No more than 7 series will be performed, even if the 25% decrease of initial MVC is not observed.
Neuromuscular fatigability (%)
It is measured in the same time that MVC
Quality of life : Scores to the Short Form 36 (SF-36)
Quality of life : Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT Fatigue Part)
Quality of life : State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI Y-A)
Quality of life : Physical Self-Description Questionnaire( PSDQ)
Complete blood count and biochemical analyses (ionogram, urea, creatinine, LDH, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase ; usual units)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Blood and plasma viscosity (centipoise)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Erythrocyte deformability (%)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
aggregation properties (a.u.)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
dense red blood cells (%)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Plasma analyses of adhesion molecules and markers of inflammation
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
oxidative stress
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
NO metabolism (µmol/L)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Activity of antioxidant enzymes (µmol/L/min)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Expression of erythrocytes membrane proteins (u.a.)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Red blood cell (RBC) adhesion to endothelial cells (count of adhering RBC /mm²)
Patients will be subjected to blood samplings
Various hemodynamic criteria using echocardiography at rest and exercise
vaso-occlusive crises and acute chest syndrome
During the 8 weeks, all vaso-occlusive crises and acute chest syndrome will be collected